BY: TIM CARPENTER
Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — A Wichita man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to hate crimes by waving a gun and using racial slurs to threaten two Black juveniles entering a convenience store and to prevent a Black adult from intervening on behalf of the minors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said Austin Schoemann’s “hate-fueled crime spree” led to pleas on two counts of interference with federally protected activities, two counts of interstate threats and one count of interference with housing. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2023.
“This defendant committed serious hate crimes when he used guns and death threats to terrorize two Black children and an adult who came to their aid,” Clarke said. “Racially motivated threats and violence, in any form, are unacceptable in our society.”
Schoemann acknowledged that from January to August 2022 he interfered with federally protected housing rights of a white woman by making threats to shoot or kill any Black people who visited her home. He admitted to sending videos and messages to the woman’s family members and others that included threats to harm Black people.
“Racially based violence and threats of violence should never be tolerated,” said Kate Brubacher, the U.S. attorney for the District of Kansas. “The Justice Department will defend civil rights and prosecute anyone who harasses and threatens people based on their race.”
A federal judge scheduled sentencing of Schoemann for Oct. 16. The plea agreement says he could be sentenced to 63 months to 84 months in prison.